1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an instrument panel for guarding harnesses from being damaged by a vehicle body or equipment and fixing the harnesses against movements thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art instrument panel will be explained by referring to FIGS. 1-3. A flexible harness 2 is arranged along the instrument panel 1 which is in opposition to a part of a vehicle body 6 such as a cowl box or pedal bracket or an equipment (not shown) having a slide member such as a heater control unit. As shown in, for example, FIGS. 1-3, the flexible harness 2 is covered with a protector 3 consisting of a resin tape or the like wound thereabout to prevent the harness from being in direct contact with the vehicle body 6, particularly a flange 6b of a pedal bracket 6a in the proximity of the harness 2. The harness 2 is fixedly fitted in a clip 4 threadedly inserted in a female member 1a extending from the instrument panel 1.
The clip 4 is shown as a construction embracing the harness 2. Other types of the clip 4 are used, which comprises a belt 7a embracing the harness 2 as shown in FIG. 4 or a steel plate 8a adapted to be wound about the harness 2 as shown in FIG. 5 illustrated at 8. In brief, the clip 4 is formed separately from the instrument panel 1. Instead of the above protector 3, a protector 9 is also used which is in the form of a bellows tube of polyvinyl chroride as shown in FIG. 6. A numeral 5 illustrates an indicator casing accommodating an indicator 5a.
With this arrangement, however, there are the following shortcomings. First, it absolutely requires a part such as a clip 4, 7 or 8 only for the purpose of fixing the harness 2.
Second, the protector 3 is very expensive, which is unavoidably required, when the vehicle body is vibrated, to prevent the harness 2 from being in contact with and damaged by the part of the vehicle body such as the pedal bracket, heater control lever or the like or equipment adjacent to the harness 2 only assembled thereat and fixed by the clip 4, 7 or 8.
Third, the mounting of the harness 2 is complicated because two parts are necessary for the purpose, one is the clip 4, 7 or 8 as fixing means for the harness and the other is the protector 3 or 9 as guard means for the harness.